-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pele , Diego Maradona and Franz Beckenbaeur will forever be remembered in football fans ' consciousness for helping Brazil , Argentina and West Germany win the World Cup .

That trio symbolized the idea that international football -- pitting the game 's very best players against one another -- was the pinnacle of a footballer 's career .

But that passion for international football has cooled , especially for young English players , according to World Cup winner Patrick Vieira .

`` I do n't feel like in England , the young players are dreaming of playing for the national team anymore , '' said Vieira , who is now Manchester City 's Football Development Executive .

`` I think it 's maybe the lack of England 's Football Association power , I would say , '' added Vieira , who won the World Cup with France in 1998 as well as Euro 2000 . `` Maybe this is as well a lack of love for the national team .

`` In England , I really do n't understand how come so many young players from the age of 16-21 pull out of the national team for injury .

`` When I grew up in France , I wanted to play for the French national team . That was my target , my dream . ''

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has long argued that the European Champions League is the best competition in the world , surpassing even the World Cup , but Vieira insisted : `` The national team is bigger than anything and I was really proud to play for France . ''

The former French international argued a key part of his development as a player was linked to the time he spent with the French national team , in particular learning from the example of more experienced players such as Marcel Desailly and Didier Deschamps , the current les bleus coach .

Vieira questioned whether the lack of elder statesmen within the current French international set-up had contributed to the disciplinary problems that surfaced at the World Cup in 2010 and more recently at Euro 2012 .

Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has not been recalled for France 's upcoming friendly against Japan and World Cup qualifier against Spain even after serving a three-match ban imposed by the French Football Federation .

Nasri swore at a reporter following France 's Euro 2012 quarter-final defeat by Spain after previously telling another journalist to `` Shut your mouth ! '' in their opening match against England when he had scored .

`` His non-selection is a surprise , '' said Vieira , who was speaking at the Leaders in Football Conference in London on Wednesday . `` I 'm sure he will go back to the national team . ''

England expects

Vieira 's view that young English players were somewhat ambivalent about playing for their country might give the FA pause for thought .

On Tuesday the Football Association opened its elite football facility -- the $ 168-million St. George 's Park complex -- which it hopes can help pave the way for the national team to win a major international tournament for the first time since 1966 .

However , Vieira urged patience for the positive effects of the St George 's Park initiative to trickle down .

`` It does n't guarantee success and it might take 10 to 15 years , '' said the former Arsenal , Inter Milan and Manchester City midfielder .

`` The heart of the English player is double or triple that of the Spanish or French player . That is a good base to start with . ''

City have their own ambitious plans for a new training academy , which Vieira described as `` unbelievable '' .

The project , which will boast 15 full-size and two half-size football pitches as well as accommodation for 40 youth-team players , will contain a 7,000-capacity stadium for youth team matches , a separate building for the first team and a bridge linking the Etihad Stadium to the area -- which will be known as the Etihad Campus .

`` We want to bring our young players from the academy through to the first team , '' said Vieira . `` It 's important as the fans really identify with these players and this is the philosophy of the club .

`` But clubs like City , Manchester United and Chelsea will also always try and sign the exceptional player , '' added Vieira , when asked if the English Premier League champions were no longer interested in signing players such as Atletico Madrid striker Falcao , who is expected to leave the Spanish club next summer .

In deciding how their academy should be run , City traveled round the world to look at examples of other successful academies as well as how other sports develop young talented players .

City particularly liked the way aspiring NBA players spent much of their day within an academy environment , which helps them `` to learn how to behave as an individual '' , said Vieira .

Vieira is an ambassador for Western Union 's new PASS initiative , turning every pass in this season 's UEFA Europa League into funding for one day 's education for young people around the world .

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England 's young players no longer `` dream '' of playing for their national team , says France World Cup winner Patrick Viera

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Frenchman Vieira won the World Cup in 1998 as well as Euro 2000

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Manchester City 's Football Development Executive described the plans for the club 's own new training academy as `` unbelievable ''